Tired of getting your gear ripped off? Here are some suggestions to help you prevent that from happening. 

By Darren Warner

Last year I had the pleasure of taking my nephew on his first bow hunt. We spent the summer glassing fields, trimming shooting lanes and hanging stands. As we got our gear around during the pre-dawn, both of us felt as giddy as schoolgirls in anticipation of opening day of deer season.

We doused ourselves with scent-reduction spray and then slowly made our way to my nephew’s treestand that we’d hung in a 75-year-old red oak devoid of acorns that year.

As we approached the tree, I patted my nephew on the back and whispered, “Good luck.”

“Are you sure we’re at the right tree?” he asked. “I don’t see the stand.”

Never hang a stand without a good, strong chain and lock—even on private land.

Shining a red light up the tree, I could see the marks the stand’s gripping teeth had made in the bark, but the treestand was gone. Someone had stolen it.

“Having your stand stolen is probably the most frustrating thing a hunter can experience,” said Ohio deer hunter Trey Davis. “I’ve had three stolen, and for me, it feels worse than missing a buck.”

Sadly, thefts of treestands and other hunting equipment such as game cameras are common occurrences, especially in areas with heavy hunting pressure. To make matters worse, most stands and trail cameras are stolen by other hunters.

According to Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Conservation Officer (CO) Bobbi Lively, hunters often don’t report a theft, because they don’t want to cast a negative light on other hunters—or they believe nothing can be done.

“Hunters should still report the incident, because we do recover some stolen equipment each year,” said Lively.

States also don’t keep records on hunting equipment thefts, making it impossible to measure the problem. But talk to just about any CO or public-land hunter, and you’ll quickly learn that many have had their hunt ruined before it even began because someone walked away with their stands; alternatively, all the information they had gathered about deer in their hunting area suddenly vanished because someone lifted their trail cameras.

Anyone who’s ever been a victim of treestand and/or game camera theft knows the heavy toll it takes on a hunter’s wallet, hunting plans and sense of security. Let’s take a look at how to prevent treestand and camera theft, as well as what to if you become a victim.

An Ounce of Prevention

The truth of the matter is that the only foolproof treestand theft-prevention method is to never leave a stand in the woods when you’re not using it. Like any other piece of property, if a thief wants it badly enough, he’ll get it.

As a former criminologist, I can tell you that most larcenies are crimes of opportunity and are not planned out. Treestand thefts are no different. John Louk, president of the Treestand Manufacturers’ Association, agrees.

“Most guys don’t go into the woods looking for treestands to steal,” said Louk. “They’re just in the woods, see one available and take it.”

I can also tell you treestand thieves are no different from any other thief: They tend to be lazy and don’t like working hard for anything, including your treestand. Since it’s not practical to hang and remove your stand on every hunt (unless state regulations require it), the best way to prevent theft is to make your stand hard to steal. To do that, hide it, hang it high, lock it up and remove your climbing aid.

Hide it. Place treestands deeper in the woods, away from heavily used trails or places where they can be spotted easily from the road with a pair of binoculars. If a crook doesn’t find your stand, it can’t be lifted.

“I still see a lot of hunters on public land who only walk in about 100 yards and place their stands where they are easily found,” noted Lively.

Hang it high. Remember that treestand thieves are lazy. If they come across one stand that’s 12 feet off the ground and another one that’s 20, which one do you think they’ll steal? Those few feet can make a crook think twice about taking your stand. So hang your stand 20 or 25 feet up, and you’ll make it harder to steal—and also harder for deer to spot you.

Lock it up. Put a strong cable lock around your stand and attach it to the tree. When choosing a lock, pick one that’s thick and manufactured to resist severing by bolt-cutters. Most treestand manufacturers also make cable locks and color them black, making them difficult to spot from the ground. But don’t hide the lock: If a thief finds your stand, you want him to see the lock securing it to the tree. I like to use a heavy log chain, a can of rubber coating spray and a bulletproof lock to quietly keep my stand in the tree.

“Treestands found on private land are often easier to steal, because people don’t think they need to chain or lock them up, “said MDNR Sergeant Jon Wood, hunter education program supervisor.

Take your climbing aid with you. After prepping your stand, remove the bottom two portions of the climbing sticks or ladder. Take them with you or hide them nearby. Doing this will not only deter treestand theft, it will also prevent your climbing aid from being stolen.

If you’ve been a victim of theft, set up a game camera to catch a thief red-handed. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. What better way to prove someone stole your stand than to have a picture of the perpetrator carrying out the crime?

This worked for Indiana hunter, Glen Ransbottom, who had a ladder stand stolen from his private property. His camera took photos of the two thieves hauling the stand away. The defendants claimed they were just moving their stand and accidentally wandered onto Ransbottom’s property—the jury didn’t buy it.

“The trail camera photo was the key piece of evidence,” said Ransbottom. “I don’t care how many acres you own, it just burns you when someone goes on your land and steals your stand.”

The only problem with using a game camera to prevent treestand theft is that thieves love to steal those as well. Let’s look at how to thwart trail camera thieves.

Many of today’s game cameras are small and difficult to detect, but it’s still best to secure them to a tree with a strong cable and lock.

Preventing Camera Theft

As with treestands, hide your cameras and secure them with a good, strong chain and lock. When determining where to place a camera, try thinking like a thief. What’s the most likely route he’ll take to get to and from your stand? Place your camera along that route about 30 or 40 yards from your stand.

A few years ago, Iowa bowhunter, Matt McConnell, had two stands stolen on the same day. Determined to prevent a third theft, he placed a nonworking game camera near a beech tree that held another treestand. He then placed a functioning camera 50 yards away along the trail leading to the stand. The thief stole both the treestand and the decoy camera but didn’t realize the real camera had taken a photo of him holding both the stand and the other camera.

“It turned out the guy had stolen my other two stands, and the police found them in his garage,” McConnell said. “I got all my stands back.”

Another way to prevent camera theft is to hang cameras 15 feet off the ground and point them downward. Most thieves don’t think to look for cameras so high up, and it’s a great way to get panoramic photos displaying how deer use your hunting areas.

Finally, place a small, laminated sign next to the camera that reads, “CAUTION: Area under video surveillance.” Research shows that if a would-be thief thinks there’s a possibility that he’s being recorded, he’s less likely to steal an item. Gas stations often do this to prevent gasoline theft. Oftentimes, owners don’t have any surveillance equipment, but customers don’t know that.

During the later stages of the rut, food sources are still the best place to spend the last hours of daylight.

By Steve Bartylla

It had already been an amazing morning. I’d passed on two very mature bucks within easy shooting range in under a half-hour. With firearm season a day away, the only thing that gave me the resolve to pass was my belief that I could still take a larger buck.

The stand location was an obvious choice when I had scouted the area that spring. With three points dropping down and meeting together and a doe bedding areas above the intersection, bucks would surely be using the points to get between the doe groups. As an added bonus, the bottom also narrowed at this location, pinching any bottom running bucks to within shooting range. The cherry on top was the water hole 15 yards away from the tree I’d selected.

The combination provided everything one would want in a rut stand. Because of its converging points and the “pinched” bottom, it covered two separate funnels between multiple doe bedding areas. Along with that, the well-placed water source was a convenient stop for chase-weary bucks to quench their burning thirst. Finally, the points offered an escape route for bucks wanting to slip out the backdoor of doe bedding areas with their new girlfriends.

A conveniently located water hole, paired with two funnels separating doe groups, allowed the author to arrow this great late-rut buck.

I eventually saw what I was looking for—a big buck traveling with a doe, exiting this “back door.” Panting, tongue hanging, foamy strands of thick saliva dripping from his lower jaw, he’d obviously had a hard night and was now guiding his prize to a more secure area.

He also was going to give himself a water break en route. He was so intent on this that when the doe tried veering away from the pool, he circled and tined her hard in the side, redirecting her back toward the water.

However, my arrow found its mark before getting a drink was no longer an option. And just like that, I’d scored an awesome late-rut buck.

The longer I hunt, the more convinced I become that hunters often needlessly complicate hunting. No doubt, our mind is our most valued and powerful hunting weapon, and using it is critical to our success. Still, I do believe that keeping it simple is often the best route. That certainly applies to hunting during the late rut.

During the late rut, as with any other phase of the season, understanding what bucks want and how they meet those wants is key to getting in a position to score.

What Rutting Bucks Want

When it comes to hunting bucks during any phase of the season, there’s a tremendous advantage to answering a couple of simple questions.

What do bucks want during this phase? During the late rut, the obvious answer is to find the last few remaining estrous does. Even though there’s more to it than that, no one can argue that finding estrous does is of utmost importance to mature rutting bucks.

Of course, successfully securing her is another desire—one that’s not always easily accomplished. Even in areas with skewed buck-to-doe ratios, the competition between bucks for estrous does is intense. This is confirmed by studies that have found the most twins are actually sired by different bucks.

As powerful a draw as breeding may be, it nevertheless still falls short of bucks’ desire for safety. No doubt, many readers have seen rutting bucks do careless things during the rut, and I won’t argue that even mature bucks can let their guards down to an extent. I will argue that survival is still most important to them.

If survival and breeding are the two greatest desires of rutting bucks, I’d rank drinking as number three. The combination of cruising for, chasing and breeding does, as well as fighting off other bucks, is exhausting. To put this strain in perspective, mature bucks commonly lose 25 to 30 percent of their body weight in less than a month of breeding.

Just as with humans, these extreme workouts create a powerful thirst. Although deer can survive a surprisingly long time exclusively off their fat reserves, they must intake water regularly or risk dying. The physical exertions of the rut serve to further compound that need. Like humans, the harder they work, the more water they must intake—and rutting bucks work hard, indeed.

Watering also plays into the comfort factor. Sure, a buck’s desire for physical comfort ranks well below safety, breeding and the need to water, but it’s still a want. This can be seen firsthand when unseasonably warm temperatures shut down midday rutting activities. It gets to the point where the combination of the buck’s winter coat and high temperatures makes it too hot to run around the woods.

Finally, the desire to feed would round out a rutting buck’s primary wants. I understand that many seem to believe that rutting bucks don’t eat. I’ve just seen too many mature bucks feeding during this phase to buy that theory.

More and more deer hunters are finding that a well-placed ground blind makes for a hot ambush. Pictured is a blind from Hunter's Specialties.

By Ron Rohrbaugh

Everyone knows that to kill whitetails with a bow you have to be at least 15 feet off the ground, right?

Wrong. Today’s combination of safe, inexpensive portable treestands and an extreme focus on hunting trophy bucks has turned ground hunting into a dying art—a trend that’s likely causing bowhunters to miss out on some great opportunities and a lot of fun. On nearly every property I hunt, there are excellent ambush sites that offer no possibility of placing effective treestands. I emphasize the word, “effective,” because there are sometimes trees available, but those in poor position relative to deer movement don’t offer shot opportunities, and trees with too little cover are sure recipes for getting busted.

Deer move in spatial patterns governed by food, habitat structure, topography and wind direction. Bucks especially like to move in thick cover or on the edge of it—for instance, where a thicket meets a swamp or field. It’s no coincidence that the thickest places have few trees, since tree canopies block sunlight, which prevents development of brushy security cover.

In my area of upstate New York and much of the Northeast, farm abandonment during the past 50 years has created a plethora of brush-choked fields that provide bedding cover and food but lack trees for hanging a stand. I would guess that many of the very best areas for daytime deer activity go unexplored by bowhunters who think that hunting on the ground is a waste of time.

I remember watching a video several years ago that featured Mark and Terry Drury hunting the early season in Wyoming. After numerous unsuccessful hunts, the reluctant brothers decided to set up on the ground at the edge of a brushy bedding area.

Improvising, they used 5-gallon buckets for seats and brush trimmings for cover. The duo seemed embarrassed at trying this ridiculous tactic, and Terry was genuinely dumbfounded when he tagged a wide eight-point that went down within sight. It takes just one experience like that to make you a believer.

Hunting mature bucks is fun, and I don’t deny that it’s what turns my “bowhunting crank.” However, I also like to eat venison, so filling the freezer is important to me, too.

Complete concealment isn’t necessary when ground hunting. The idea is to break your form with good back cover and mask your movement with a small amount of front cover.

For the experienced hunter, it can get a little routine shooting does, especially in farmland and suburban areas where deer are abundant and relatively easy to ambush from elevated stands. So, awhile back, I started spending more time on the ground for the added challenge. Getting down to earth (pun intended) has taught me a lot about deer behavior and what works and what doesn’t when you’re at eye level with deer.

The main principles of successful deer hunting are the same—whether you’re aloft or planted on the ground, but there are some nuances that are particular to each approach. Nevertheless, they’re all about fooling a deer’s senses.

Be Easy on Their Eyes

In their video, the Drury brothers unknowingly debunked a common misconception about ground hunting and a deer’s ability to see.

Many hunters believe that if you are on the ground, you must be totally hidden within a pop-up blind or wall of brush. I’ve actually found that having complete concealment isn’t necessary and is sometimes a liability, because it limits your line of sight and effective shooting zones.

I like to set up with a sparse screen of brush or mesh fabric in front of me and a visually complicated backdrop behind me. Good backgrounds include upturned stumps, the dense tops of fallen trees, thick shrubs such as rose or honeysuckle and rocky outcrops. The idea is to break your silhouette, not completely hide your form.

My standard set up is a lightweight, folding aluminum stool and a skirt-type blind, which is nothing more than camo fabric attached to telescoping fiberglass stakes. With these items attached to my backpack, I can be set up in a few minutes. Brush blinds work great if they are built ahead of time, but for wily whitetails, building an impromptu blind can exceed acceptable disturbance and scent levels.

If I’m hunting an open area where I know that it’s difficult to find a good backdrop, I’ll often wear a ghillie suit. One note of caution, however: Ghillie suits are great at breaking the human silhouette, but they are not so great for uninhibited bow shooting. I strongly suggest practicing with your full suit on and trimming the strands that interfere with the travel of your bowstring.

When evaluating your ground setup, try to imagine how a deer might see the situation. Because deer are prey animals, their eyes are positioned on the sides of their head, allowing for a wide field of view and an excellent ability to sense movement, but poor depth perception. In my experience, the keys are to stay in the shadows, make sure you have adequate back cover and limit your movement.

My simple ground-hunting kit includes a folding stool and skirt-type blind. Both attach to my backpack.

If you’re nestled in heavy cover, such as a cattail marsh or standing corn field, cut a few narrow sight windows to either side of your shooting lane so that you can see deer coming and be prepared. Otherwise, if a deer pops from the cover unexpectedly, you’ll have to make too much movement to get ready. The key is to be in position before the deer steps into your shooting lane.

In open habitats, such as field edges and power line cuts, it’s good to give the deer something other than you to focus on. Deer decoys work best, but they are often cumbersome and can be dangerous to use when hunting from the ground. As a safe alternative, a turkey decoy will focus a deer’s attention and give it confidence that everything is safe.

Several seasons ago, during New York’s late archery season, I pushed the limits of good sense by setting up on the ground in a large opening with little cover. It was too cold to crawl up in a tree, and the unusual east wind didn’t allow me to hunt from my usual ground blind on the opening’s opposite side. I hoped my doe decoy would keep any passing deer distracted enough to allow me to draw my bow unseen. It worked—in the middle of a wicked snow squall. A year-and-half-old doe tarried too long at my decoy, giving me just the chance I needed. The shot was true, adding some much appreciated venison to the freezer.

Nullify Their Noses

Deer are notorious for their acute sense of smell. Scent molecules from our bodies drift from a treestand like snowflakes on a gentle breeze. On a day with consistent wind, we can use this to our advantage, as a deer approaching from upwind can move downwind near our tree while our scent drifts harmlessly overhead.

From the ground, however, there is no buffering of our stench. If a deer gets downwind, you are usually busted. For this reason, playing the wind is do or die when ground hunting. I’m pretty careful about my scent-control, but the fact is, if a deer gets downwind of you, you might as well have a neon sign advertising your location. The best medicine is to not let that happen.

For this reason, I try to follow these rules: (1) Never hunt flats on days without a predominant wind direction; (2) In the evenings, take advantage of downward-moving thermals on ridges; (3) always be cognizant of when the wind shifts uphill during mid- to late morning; (4) when possible, hunt with your back to a feature that deer are reluctant to move through, such as a water body or open field. To be sure of my wind situation, I like to use baking powder in a squeeze bottle to frequently check wind direction. During pre-dawn, a disposable lighter works great to detect subtle air movements.

Ghillie suits are great for hunting fairly open areas, but remember to practice shooting with your suit before heading afield.

Sometimes, the wind just doesn’t cooperate. Last season I was after a good buck that I called “Sandy’s Slammer,” in reference to the landowner’s name. Arriving at Sandy’s property, I discovered that the weatherman must have been smoking something funny, because the wind was not behaving at all as he predicted. I knew that to hunt the blind I had hoped to would just send my scent sailing through the “Slammer’s” bedding area, so I headed for the other end of the property.

Decked out in my ghillie suit and tucked into the top of a fallen white pine, I was eager to see how my setup performed. I didn’t have long to wait.

Just after nocking an arrow, I saw legs approaching through the dogwood brush to my left. Before long, the old doe was nearly in my lap. With a steady wind in my face, I focused on remaining completely motionless.

After browsing some multiflora rose not 25 feet from me, she moved to the far side of the opening, turning away at a hard angle. I remember thinking that the angle might be too hard, because it really narrowed my effective target. But I was already committed, and the string slipped from my fingers.

I watched, dismayed, as the arrow struck the right hindquarter and disappeared, angling forward into the body cavity. After a tough tracking job that took me in a half-mile semi-circle through head-high dogwood, I finally found the doe very much dead.

Looking for a great over-the-counter deer hunt, all for a low budget price? If so, check out Arizona … it has just what you’re looking for 

By Eric Welsh

It was late December 13 years ago when I embarked on my first journey to Southern Arizona to hunt desert mule deer. My hunting buddy and I each had an over-the-counter archery deer tag in our pockets, and with other hunters’ stories in our heads, we were positive we would be wrapping that tag around some bone in the next few days.

After a couple days, I started to realize that finding and hunting these desert mulies was not as easy as we had thought. We looked hard for days, but we both ended up eating tag soup that year and again the next. As a new bowhunter, I knew nothing about when or why to hunt water and nothing about bedding down a buck before you put a stalk on him. I had no clue about what I needed to do.

I know now that the stories that I had heard about hunters’ successes in Arizona didn’t do me any good. Where do I go? What do I do? How do I find the deer? When is the rut? Because of the tight lips of other hunters, I had to answer these questions for myself.

Thirteen years later, I have answered these questions, and I will share them with you. I am not going to give up any secret spots or honey holes, but I will point you in the right direction so that your first hunt in Arizona won’t be a waste of time and money. I can’t promise that you will fill your tag or even get a shot, but I can promise that you will see deer if you use the tactics and information I am sharing.

The author and his brother with a great buck taken over water in Unit 17B.

The beauty of this over-the-counter hunt is that you can do it every year. You don’t have to build up points for years and hope to get drawn. Also, with this one tag, you can hunt three different times of the year. So if you don’t fill your tag during the first season, you will still have two more opportunities. In addition—although some may not agree with this—spike bucks are legal. So if you are a new bowhunter or just a meat hunter, you can have even more opportunity with deer that are not yet educated.

Some of the units in Arizona hold the elusive coues whitetail. You can shoot these deer with the same over-the-counter tag. Check the Arizona Game and Fish regulations to see a map that shows where these deer are present. Units in which I have seen them are 6A, 6B, 8, 36A, 36B and 36C.

The author shot this buck during a winter hunt in Unit 36C.

First Hunt of the Year

January 1–31, 2011 (see current regulations). Open units: 8, 9, 10, 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, 16A (except Mohave County Park lands), 17A, 17B, 18A, 18B, 19A, 19B, 20A, 20B, 20C, 21 (except Cave Creek Recreation Area), 22, 23, 24A, 24B, 25M, 27, 28, 29, 30A, 30B, 31, 32, 33, 34A, 34B, 35A (except Fort Huachuca), 35B, 36A, 36B, 36C, 37A, 37B, 38M (including Tucson Mountain Wildlife Area), 39, 40A, 40B, 41, 42, 43A, 43B, 44A, 44B, 45A, 45B, 45C and 47M.

Units 29, 34A, 34B, 35A, 35B, 36A, 36B and 36C are great units to hunt this time of year. The desert terrain, rolling hills and buttes in these units make it easier to glass up deer and put stalks on them. Daytime temperatures can sometimes get into the 70s, which makes it nice for a winter hunt. But keep in mind that it’s winter, and cold fronts can, and will, come in. Also remember that you CAN hunt and camp in the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in Units 36A, 36B and 36C. Unit 36C also contains Santa Margarita and the Kings Anvil ranches. These are both private ranches that will let you camp and hunt for free. You simply have to sign in at the gate. All three units have great water holes and hold a lot of deer.

This is my favorite time to hunt in Arizona because of the rut, which usually starts during that last week or two in December and carries on into the second week of January, depending on which area of the state you are in.

During this time of the year, I spend the mornings glassing. If I find a buck I want to pursue, I will bed him down and try to put a stalk together. If you find some does that don’t have bucks with them, you will need to keep checking up on them. Eventually, bucks will join the group as the does come into estrus.

I like to hunt water during the afternoons. Success on water will depend on the last time it has rained in the area. You can also brush out the fresh tracks around the water hole to see how frequently the deer are coming in. Alternatively, you can set up a trail camera. Finally, try to get into your blind or treestand at least four hours before dark.

Google Earth is a great tool for locating water holes in the area you are planning to hunt. You can also get a book from Arizona Game and Fish that shows maps to most of the game- and fish-maintained water sources.

Note: There is a lot of illegal immigration activity in these units. Although I have never had any problems, I have heard stories of hunters and game wardens having issues with drug-runners. You just need to be aware of your surroundings. It’s LEGAL to carry a sidearm in the southern part of Arizona while bowhunting.

Also, if you are planning on hunting during December (third season) and January (first season), make sure you have a 2011 tag for December and a 2012 tag for January.

A great buck hits a Game and Fish water catchment in Unit 19A.

Second Hunt

August 19–Sep 8, 2011 (see current regulations). Open Units: 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B (except Camp Navajo), 7,8, 9, 10, 11M, 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, 16A (except Mohave County Park lands), 17A, 17B, 18A, 18B, 19A, 19B, 20A, 20B, 20C, 21 (except Cave Creek Recreation Area), 22, 23, 24A, 24B, 27, 28, 29, 30A, 30B, 31, 32, 33, 34A, 34B, 35A (except Fort Huachuca), 35B, 36A, 36B and 36C.

You can find a velvet buck this time of year. I like to hunt units 6A, 6B, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17B, 20A and 20C because the summer temperatures don’t get too high in these northern units. I sit a lot of water during this season because of the heat, but spot-and-stalk opportunities are abundant. I normally start hunting in the most northern of these units, checking water holes for fresh sign. If it has rained recently, I will move to the southerly units, which don’t get as much rain. Again, use Google Earth or the Game and Fish book to find these water sources.

If there has been a lot of rain, or you just don’t want to sit water, the terrain in most of these units is suitable for spot and stalk. I strongly recommend putting your binocular on a tripod while glassing. I can guarantee that you will see more deer doing this.

If you are new to the spot-and-stalk method, the goal is to glass up a buck and then put a stalk on him. The most common thing to do is to wait for the buck to bed down for the day and then plan your stalk. Keep in mind that the wind will normally blow uphill in the mornings as it warms up. This means that you should get above your bedded buck and make a stalk downhill toward him. This is not always the case, so always be aware of the wind direction.

There is a lot of private land in Arizona. However, most land owners don’t post their property and don’t care if you access it.

The Arizona trespassing law states, “Hunters are permitted to enter onto land unless lawfully posted. Signs must be at least eight inches by eleven inches with plainly legible wording in capital and bold-faced lettering at least one inch high. The sign must have the words ‘no hunting,’ ‘no trapping’ or ‘no fishing,’ either as a single phrase or in any combination. The signs must be conspicuously placed on a structure or post at least four feet above ground level at all points of vehicular access, at all property or fence corners and at intervals of not more than one-quarter mile along the property boundary. A sign with one hundred square inches or more of orange paint may serve as the interval notices between property or fence corners and points of vehicular access. The orange paint shall be clearly visible and shall cover the entire above-ground surface of the post facing outward and on both lateral sides from the closed area.”

Your bowstring's center serving and the string loop controls the vertical alignment of the arrow. If it slips one bit, accuracy will grossly suffer. Make it a habit to constantly check loop height, using a T-square, as well as the possibility of any loose servings.

By Joe Bell

Each year it seems that something on my bow goes haywire a couple weeks before opening day. My bow is shooting like a dream when suddenly, I notice some inconsistency in my shooting. Sometimes this erratic shooting behavior is just me getting excited about heading for the woods, but not always. Sometimes it’s the bow, by way of a loose center serving, a slipping peep sight, a bowstring or harness that has crept, a couple of deformed broadheads or nocks, or some arrow rest or sight screw that has vibrated loose.

Regardless of the problem, such incidences wreak havoc on my shooting concentration and confidence, which I don’t like at all. For this reason, I now go through a simple diagnosis each fall about four weeks before opening day in order to catch problems ahead of time. I recommend you do the same.

#1 Secure Peep Sight

The peep sight is one of those accessories that can make or break your shooting. When it’s set right and you center the pin or sight guard, it’ll boost your accuracy. But if it ever moves—even a smidgen—it will obliterate your point-on shooting like nothing else. For this reason, make sure you serve-in your peep sight very well and have a way of checking its exact position on the string.

There are various ways to serve-in a peep that works well, so I won’t go over that. What I will say, though, is make sure you reference the peep’s position on the bowstring’s fibers. I use an off-color fine-point Sharpie marker. Place hash lines above, below and along the middle of the peep’s body. I use Fletcher Tru-Peeps and color in a mark along the notch in the peep sight (see photo).

Using a peep in the string will keep you shooting dead on, despite awkward shooting positions. However, if it moves, it'll break your shooting faster than any other accessory.

Every time you uncase your bow, make it a habit to check the peep’s position. If you see the marks discoloring, which they will over time, color them in again. It’s a simple but effective method for maintaining consistency.

#2 Inspect String Loop

I can’t tell you how many times my bow’s string loop began slipping just before heading out on a hunt. This is usually caused from a loose or worn-through center serving.

Many times, a loose center serving is hard to detect. To catch it early, constantly monitor the loop’s position using a T-square before and after shooting sessions. Also, try pulling up and down on the loop every couple of sessions, using slight pressure to see if it moves. If it does, you’ve got to fix it fast before it ruins that one chance at a big trophy.

In this case, you must remove the old serving, replace it with a new one and then reattach the string loop. This can be easy or it can be a nightmare—depending on your ability and your tuning notes regarding exactly where the loop and nock height are supposed to be.

I prefer a BCY #62X center serving in the .021- or .025-inch size, depending on the bowstring’s strand count and nock-throat diameter. This thread is very slip-resistant (it keeps loop material in place) and provides a nice, quiet, wear-resistant “snap” engagement for the arrow’s nock.

If you don’t know how to replace a center serving, be sure to visit your local pro shop to get it done. This is another reason I favor premium quality bowstrings. The center servings are tighter and more durable and less prone to slip at the last minute.

Also, after new center serving, you may be tempted to replace your old string loop with a new one, but I would suggest using the same one if it’s not worn much. A new loop takes a 100 shots or so to “settle in,” whereas your old one will fall into a consistent shape within a couple of dozen shots and keep your draw length and shot feel just like they were before.

Broadhead and nock alignment must be true to achieve top shooting consistency. Instead of twisting the arrow on its nose, a better way is to use an arrow roller like this one from Pine Ridge. This allows you to spin the shaft horizontally so you can observe nock and broadhead alignment simultaneously. Any type of wobble denotes poor alignment. To correct poor alignment, you can smooth the shaft ends, using the G5 Arrow Squaring Device.

#3 Tighten All Screws

If one of the screws on your arrow rest loosens, it’ll change your point-of-aim and also alter the arrow’s tune. This could spell a nerve-wracking experience when broadheads begin drifting out of place, leaving you with an untuned setup only weeks out from the season.

It’s smart to snug down every screw on your bow every four to five shooting sessions, and you should snug and then dab every adjustment screw on the arrow rest and bowsight with a slow-cure fletching glue. This will keep your setup shooting supersweet and dead on.

Also, don’t forget to check the C-clips on the wheel axles. Sometimes these clips fit sloppy, tend to vibrate and can possibly snap off with a firm bump. Replace these clamps with new ones or dab them with slow-cure fletching glue.

#4 Check Broadhead/Nock Alignment

Do yourself a favor: Buy a good arrow roller. They run about $30 to $40 and last a lifetime; and using one sure makes life easier when it comes to good-shooting arrows. To shoot well, arrows must not only be straight, but the broadhead and nock must be flush to the shaft ends and straight-spinning, as well. The only way to truly verify this alignment is to use a smooth, fast-spinning arrow roller. I use the Pine Ridge Arrow Inspector, since it works great and folds up for easy storage to take along on hunting trips.

Checking broadhead/nock alignment is fairly easy. Simply spin the completed arrow across the rollers and keep a close eye on the broadhead’s ferrule or nock body. If you see any wobble, the component is not true, or it just doesn’t align well to the shaft’s surface end.

You can attempt to fix this by smoothing the insert or end surface at the nock end of the shaft, using the G5 A.S.D. device. Or you can try attaching a different broadhead or nock and check alignment again. Many times by switching out broadheads or nocks, you can correct wobble.

To ensure consistent peep position, be sure to mark its location on the string, using an off-color Sharpie marker, as shown here.

#5 Level Bow Sight

I usually don’t recommend re-leveling your bow sight a month out from deer season, but I do think that it’s so important to accuracy that if you haven’t done this, then do so. Regardless, you should always double-check the sight’s level from time to time, because a hard bump to the sight could cause it to go out of zero/level.

Checking the level is pretty simple. All you need is a small carpenter’s level. Position the bow upright by resting the bottom cam on a table or bench. Place the level along a flat surface on the bow riser, zero it in and then verify this position with your sight’s level. Adjust the sight’s level (hopefully, it comes with this feature) until they both line up. By doing this, you’ll achieve top accuracy when shooting straight out on side hills.

However, in order to hit dead on for uphill or downhill shots, the sight must have a third-axis leveling option. For example, your sight’s second axis could be perfectly level, but once you tilt the bow down or up, the level will swing out of place. This is because the sight’s pins or level may not be perpendicular to the arrow when you’re at full draw and aiming up- or downhill.

Third-axis is confusing, I know, but forget how it works and just focus on how to set it. This way, you’ll nail those steep up- or downhill targets with absolute precision.

You may think third-axis is just for Western hunters who take longer shots. However, even whitetailers sometimes find themselves shooting 40 or 50 yards across a spacious food plot from a high stand or steeply downward into a big draw where a big buck is traveling through. Third-axis can make or break your confidence and accuracy on these shots.

As described, third-axis is best adjusted while at full draw. The simplest, most effective way to level the third axis of your sight is to create a vertical reference on your sight guard. You can make a vertical aiming wire on any sight by taping a piece of thread atop the guard (as close to horizontal center as possible) and affix a washer at the other end of the thread so it dangles downward. Hold your bow so that the bubble reads level, wait for the weight not to dangle then tape the other end of the string in place. You now have a plumb, perfectly square aiming wire.
Next, to adjust the third axis: 1.) Hang a plumb bob from the ceiling or door jam. 2.) Now draw your bow and aim up or down at about a 30- to 45-degree angle with the vertical “aiming wire” on your sight and lined up with the plumb bob. Make the necessary adjustments until the bubble reads level, which is your third-axis leveling. You’re finished.

Get the most out of the upcoming season with this in-depth survival guide 

By Steve Flores

I think most bowhunters would agree when I say that the average whitetail season can feel a lot like a roller-coaster ride, or better yet, a day at the circus. With so many highs and lows, not to mention the endless temptations in gear and tactics, it’s easy to understand how the whole process of filling a whitetail tag can sometimes turn into a chaotic mess.

For me, it’s akin to watching my own children when the “big-top” comes to town. There is so much to see and do that they literally don’t know where to begin. Choices and decisions pull their little minds in all directions. Luckily, they have their mother and me to guide them along, making sure they get the most out of the experience. 

Bowhunters, on the other hand, aren’t always as fortunate. If you’re blessed enough to have your own guide or mentor when it comes to facing the “whitetail circus,” consider yourself lucky. If not, you may find yourself throwing your camo hat to the ground in frustration. After all, for as many questions as you may have, there are likely just as many answers—making the task of choosing the right ones even more difficult.

Like a lot of bowhunters, I have thrown my hat to the ground in anger at one point or another, and I have felt the sting of defeat and wrong choices made while in the stand. However, I have also learned from those experiences.

My goal with this particular article was to take what those experiences have taught me and create a guide, of sorts, that could be used to help others navigate the whole “whitetail circus” just a little bit easier. Here is what I have learned thus far.

Price of Admission

Without a doubt, the cost of a ticket, a bag of popcorn, some cotton candy and a cold drink is going up. So is the cost of bowhunting gear.

While that fact alone is cause enough for concern, I think the most damaging aspect is the effect it has on recruiting newcomers into our beloved sport. For those on the outside looking in, perhaps thinking about giving bowhunting a try, the cost of admission can seem like an impossible demand to meet.

The good news is that you really don’t need to spend a lot of money to enjoy bowhunting—or even be successful at it. Sure, just like any other sport, there are a number of items that cost a pretty penny, but there are also products available that will get the job done without breaking your bank account.

Take the most fundamental piece of equipment in this sport … the bow. While we all want the latest and greatest on the market, keep in mind that bows that were made a few short years ago are available today at a substantially lower cost and are more than capable of taking down a whitetail.

Bows that were once deemed “flagship” or “cutting edge” don’t suddenly lose their killing prowess just because a little time has passed or a newer model is introduced. Therefore, forget about keeping up with the Joneses and simply look for a quiet, accurate shooting bow that gives you confidence whenever you pick it up, regardless of manufacturer or model.

The same goes for all of the “extras” available today. Now, I will be the first to admit that I love all the gear and gadgets that go along with bowhunting. But honestly, I’ve learned that success typically can’t be bought on a showroom shelf or found in the pages of a catalog.

Rather, being successful really comes down to three things: location, tactics and time. Along with those basic fundamentals, all the gear you really need is a quiet, accurate bow, a comfortable treestand and warm clothing. Focus on those things instead of the next “magic bullet,” and you will eventually begin to fill more tags.

Pictured here is the new Trail Light Navigator from Crooked Horn that is capable of emitting a standard white light when needed, as well as a stealthy green light for those covert travels to and from the stand. With individually rotating heads, the light can be pointed in two directions at once and easily attaches to your chest or backpack for hands-free

The Bearded Lady 

Just like this popular circus attraction of old, the early season can conjure up similar feelings of confusion and misunderstandings.

With expectations high, most bowhunters find themselves in a quandary once that buck they’ve been scouting all summer suddenly drops off the face of the earth.

And while many hunters believe they’ve gone nocturnal, the truth is, most bucks have simply altered their travel routes and movement times due to changes in cover and an increase in hunting pressure. These early-season bucks are still moving and feeding; they are just doing so over a smaller area than they did during the lazy, uninterrupted days of summer.

When looking for early-season stand sights, consider areas of thick cover that will be used for bedding, near food or water sources. Be cautious, though, because setting up near a buck’s bedroom is always risky. A good approach would be to get close, but not too close, and try to catch him on his feet for a midday stretch or in the evening during last light as he makes his way to feed.

Don’t forget: The early season isn’t like the rut. Bucks are laying low, moving under cover and staying out of sight. Your tactics should match theirs.

The Strong Man

This guy is always a crowd favorite, and children and adults alike are amazed at the feats of strength he demonstrates.

Likewise, if you want to be amazed at your own accomplishments, particularly in the whitetail woods, you’ve got to be in shape—especially if you hunt whitetails in the mountainous regions of the East.

Regardless of terrain, however, conducting pre-season scouting sessions, hanging multiple stands, climbing up and down trees steps for several days in a row, battling harsh weather, packing gear in and out of the woods, and ultimately, dragging your trophy all require a certain level of physical fitness. For the unprepared bowhunter, these basic chores might not only affect the outcome of the hunt, if poor health is an issue, they can also be life-threatening.

I have learned through my own mistakes that when my body is in lousy shape, my hunting success usually follows suit. On the other hand, when my body is in good shape, my mind is sharper, my attitude and focus are more intense, and I have no problem going the extra mile to do what I have to do to increase the odds that I am successful.

This means practicing more often, scouting harder in the post season, hunting tough terrain that others overlook, hanging and re-hanging stands to get them just right, and staying in the tree longer. Do yourself a favor and get in shape before opening day and see if your success rate doesn’t improve.

Do you hunt for yourself? What I mean by that is, do you hunt the way you believe is best, or do you hunt the way others do?

Personally, I find myself doing both, but as I become older, more experienced and hopefully wiser, I do prefer thinking for myself. There are two reasons I believe this is important: Every hunting situation is different, so improvising is best; and hunting the way I want usually increases satisfaction and reward.

However, in order to do this, you must know the ins and outs of your craft and be willing to make mistakes, or to even fail miserably. What this involves is basing your hunting decisions all on instinct—or your gut, I should say. Here’s a hypothetical scenario that hopefully illustrates my point.

Jimmy is an avid whitetail hunter from Missouri. He’s killed six big bucks that gross more than 150. He’s knowledgeable about what big bucks do, where to hunt them and when to take a stand. However, Jimmy hasn’t found any big deer to speak of during the summer scouting season, and now he’s feeling pretty low.

A friend of Jimmy’s invited him on a high-success guided hunt in Kansas, which he has the money for. Nevertheless, Jimmy is a do-it-yourselfer all the way, and going guided just doesn’t appeal to him. But it does sound like a great opportunity to tag a nice buck for the year. He’s not sure what to do.

However, something is nagging at Jimmy … a small voice. There’s a remote ridgeline on one of his hunting farms, not far from a refuge he figures some big bucks call home. He has a hunch that the ridgeline could be the perfect funnel that leads to an abundance of does on the farm. But he’s never hunted it and doesn’t know where to set up. It feels like a long shot; nevertheless, the idea is brewing hot inside.

Should Jimmy go with his gut feeling or go with the “smart thing” to do and book the Kansas hunt?

Jimmy finds himself searching for answers. Eventually, he asks himself an important question. Why do I hunt? Is it to just shoot a big deer, or is to shoot one a certain way—a way that makes me feel satisfied, inspired and excited to hunt more?

Jimmy realizes he must explore the ridgeline area in order to be true to himself and his hunting ambitions, even if it means failing completely. He knows there is a huge risk of blowing his season, but with that risk comes a great reward—doing it his way. This is why he bowhunts.

This season, if you find yourself in a complex hunting situation, I encourage you to ask yourself the same question as Jimmy did. If your gut is telling you to hunt a certain spot, then do it. If it’s telling you to rattle and grunt more, then do it. If it’s telling you to be more aggressive, then crank things up. Don’t ignore the small voice; it could be the most important tool in your bag of tricks.

Sure, others may question your sanity at times, but should that matter? It shouldn’t—if you’re hunting for yourself. Maybe you’ll fail, but maybe you’ll score, too. And if you do, it’ll be the season you’ll never, ever forget.

 Tired of guessing what deer are doing? Well, don’t. Follow these rules, and you’ll enjoy better action. 

By Jason Herbert

My head hung low as I climbed into the car to go home. After slaving over this property all summer, I had big plans of putting my tag on one of the shooter bucks that must live somewhere on the property, although I had yet to see proof of one.

Three documented cases of poison ivy, countless hours away from home toiling in the food plots, sweat-laden days hanging stands, cutting trails and more money spent that I care to mention—all in preparation for this, the opening weekend of Michigan’s bow season. I had just gained permission to hunt this pristine river bottom in early June. Now, it was the third evening, and I was going home empty-handed.

I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. My food plots were lush and plentiful. My stands were hung with clockwork precision, seemingly taking every detail into account. My entry and access routes were efficient and effective. My scent-control was tight, and even if it wasn’t, the wind was in my favor. What had I done wrong?

I needed advice, so I called my friend Lee Gatzke, who put it plain and simple.

“Are there acorns near you?” he asked. “If so, hunt the oaks near bedding areas.”

Justin Hollandsworth waited until the winds were just perfect to set up on this great Ohio buck. He killed him on the first try. Photo courtesy of Justin Hollandsworth.

Rule #1: Hunt the Preferred Food

Wow! I thought. So simple, yet so profound. Why would deer leave their favorite food source near the security of their bedding cover, only to wander into the open during shooting light and into a man-made food plot?

I immediately switched my strategy, grabbed my climber and headed into the hardwoods. I remember calling Lee later on that night. I was covered up in does and had my first visual confirmation of a shooter buck—a heavy-racked 8-point with a broken G2 and a whole lot of attitude. I could tell by the way he walked that he was the boss. I had trail camera pictures of a few smaller 1 ½- and 2 ½-year-olds, but he was the first and only shooter I had seen.

Looking back, hunting over my food plots in the early season was a waste of time. Delicious and appealing as they may be, my manicured food plots couldn’t hold a candle to the deer’s true culinary weakness: acorns. This particular season, the acorns were abundant. There were areas on this property where I could roller skate on them.

Rule #2: Make Use of Poor Hunting Situations

A few weeks passed, and the acorn frenzy had died down. It would have continued a while longer, but a solid week of strong windstorms helped prematurely drop the survivors. I was left with some more tough decisions. I hate to miss a hunt, but at times, it was simply too windy to go out at all. I’ve learned from many meaningless sits that deer do not move well when the wind gets above 20 mph.

I called Justin Hollandsworth, in Ohio, to pick his brain. Justin has taken several Pope & Young bucks, and I really value his opinion. He mentioned that in really windy situations, he doesn’t hunt, but he doesn’t just sit home, either. He puts on some miles checking cameras, moving stands, glassing fields and other behind-the-scenes tasks in preparation for the next hunt. (This is also a great time to get re-acquainted with the long-lost family at home and catch up on the ever-growing “honey-do” list.)

Justin is a big believer in the moon phase chart, as well. He treats poor-movement phases in the same manner. He likes to make sure all the loose ends are tied up so that when he does hunt, it’s worth his time.

Jarrod Erdody, of Blood Brothers Outdoors, stayed mobile and flexible throughout the season, which allowed him to connect on this nice Illinois buck.

Rule #3: Know the Best Buck Core Area

In the middle to the end of the month, the poorly named “October lull” takes place. I don’t believe in this “lull.” This is the sacred time of year many big buck serial killers are waiting for. This is when a properly patterned mature buck can be killed during daylight hours before he starts to leave the property as he cruises for does.

Most big bucks will ramp up their scraping activity and start to rub a bit more. They’ll start in their core areas and expand to doe bedding areas. The bucks are constantly trying to establish their dominance. If the opportunity presents itself, they won’t turn away an estrous doe.

To accurately identify a mature buck’s core area, a lot of post-season scouting needs to be done. Since I lined up this property in June, I had no chance to do proper post-season scouting, so this portion of the season was hard for me. This fall, I plan to have a technical plan for exactly when and where I’ll hunt during this magical time. My advice: Stay out of it until absolutely necessary.

Rule #4: Hunt Smart

Near the end of the month, I started to think about my food plots again. If I wanted to kill a mature buck, Lee advised me not to sit directly on them. The bucks will start to get on their feet a bit to look for does, and undisturbed food plots are a great place to find them this time of year. Most of the “huntable” buck movement will be in the early evening, and chances are that a buck isn’t going to show up in the plot before dark. So, I chose to sit along trails leading to the food plots.

I had the perfect spot in mind, and in early November, I thought it was going to happen. I could hear three different bucks dogging some poor doe in the nearby bedding cover. I was perfectly placed along a trail and in between two popular food plots. The problem was that they weren’t concerned about using trails. Most of the evening, the deer were running back and forth, and I saw little more than a flash of brown or an antler tip to keep my sanity.

At one point, I got into a “snort-wheeze” standoff with what appeared to be the biggest buck. He had to make a tough decision: to show himself, with the wind in my face, and blindly offer me a chip shot, or stay hidden and hope for a wind shift. Needless to say, he got old by being smart. I never got a shot that night. I did have a great encounter, though.

Hunt the food plots smart. Don’t sit right on them. Allow the does, fawns and young bucks to eat there with confidence. When the time is right, a properly placed stand near a food plot might just payoff. In a high-pressure situation, a mature buck will rarely show up in a food plot during shooting hours.

By Joe Bell

Living out West, I’ve heard many bowhunters make irrational statements about hunting whitetails. Their general thinking is that these deer are easy to kill, compared to mulies and blacktails in the Western woods. In some ways, I’ve agreed with this, generally speaking. But experience has taught me that Western and Eastern hunting are completely different, and each offers a unique set of challenges.

For example, Western hunting is highly physical and non-strategic for the most part. It’s all about stalking, still-hunting and making things happen to get a shot. You must improvise on the go.

From time to time, sitting on ambush and waiting on a buck to come out is clearly the sensible thing to do, but it’s rarely ever executed in the same fashion as with Eastern deer. It’s usually more of a “shot in the dark,” rather than what weeks of post-season and pre-season scouting have told you to do.

A great scenario is an alfalfa field that mule deer are using to feed on. Each day, you see the deer in the field, but each day, they arrive differently. They rarely—if ever—use the same trail to reach the field. Instead, they enter from a different side or corner, leaving you guessing. So you must pick a trail to sit on and hope for the best. About 90 percent of the time, you end up being wrong, which leaves you frustrated and recognizing the true challenge of hunting these deer.

However, whitetails are no cinch, either, despite the best plan. These deer—especially the old, wise bucks—are masters of disguise that rarely walk in the open and routinely become nocturnal at the first sign of increased hunting pressure.

During the early season, they are predictable in how they travel to feeding sources, but their cunning and elusiveness will often detect the slightest bit of sloppiness in scent-control and noise. When the rut is on, many of the larger bucks finally surface and show themselves, but where they travel is completely unpredictable.

Couple this with cold, sedentary hunting conditions and long waits on stand, along with guessing which sign, “funnel” or trail to hunt, and anyone who hunts these deer knows too well the challenges involved.

Personally, I find sitting for hours on end in a cold treestand a true test of my patience and will power, especially when you can’t move much and wind currents are often somewhat swirling and unpredictable and could foil your attempts on that big buck you’ve been scouting and hunting for an entire year! Talk about stress and challenge.

The bottom line here is that no matter where you hunt, or what type of deer, there’s sure to be plenty of challenge involved. That’s the great thing about bowhunting deer—compared to any other game animal, deer test your skill more so as a predator than anything else, and as a result, they bring you reward nothing else can match. That’s why all types, and the experiences they bring, remain number one in my trophy book.

The devil’s in the details, so when it comes to tricking out your bow for whitetail shots, make sure it’s as perfect as it can be. 

By Steve Flores

 I think it’s a pretty safe assumption that all of us bowhunters want the same things out of our chosen weapon: speed, accuracy, forgiveness and a quiet shot. And while obtaining those qualities has a lot to do with the bow we shoot, a good deal of them can be acquired, or even enhanced, by simply attaching the right add-ons to that bow. The tricky part is to accomplish this without wasting time and money.

Unfortunately, when you consider the enormous amount of products from which to choose, making a bad decision every now and then can almost seem inevitable. Complicating matters is the fact that pursuing whitetails with archery tackle carries its own unique set of challenges. By nature, treestand shots are unlike any other: varying slopes and angles, tight shooting positions and endless hours of inactivity (followed by the sudden encounter) all conspire to ruin your best efforts.

With that thought in mind, let’s take a closer look at some simple upgrades poised to help you overcome most treestand shooting challenges and, ultimately, fill more unused tags.

For most whitetail hunting, the author likes midweight arrows with a GPI rating (grains per inch) in the neighborhood of 8.6 to 9 grains. This particular shaft provides all the speed he needs for quiet, accurate shots on whitetails, while at the same time, it still packs enough punch to get the job done.

Add a String Stop

 You would be hard pressed to find another product that addresses so many issues at one time as the string stop. Not only is this ingenious little device great for solving the problem of string interference with bulky, late-season clothing (typical for November rut hunting), but it also stops string oscillation, reduces post-shot vibration and allows for cleaner arrow separation from the string during the shot. You can purchase the string stop as an aftermarket addition or look for it as standard equipment on select bow lines.

When it comes to treestand shooting, this isn‘t what you want to see when you come to full draw. In most instances, two pins can cover the majority of shot opportunities, so reduce your pins and clear up your sight picture.

Getting on Target

 I’ve never understood the need to complicate bow shots from a treestand by carrying five or more pins in my sight housing. Sure, many aiming points are appropriate where shooting distances run the gamut, but bowhunting whitetails from above ground is not one of them. Eliminating a few pins will not only clear up your sight picture, thereby allowing you to see the spot you want to hit more clearly, it will also reduce the chance that you pick the wrong pin in the heat of the moment. When that big buck moves in close, I can hardly remember my name, let alone which pin to aim with.

In addition, considering that the average whitetail shot typically occurs between 20 and 25 yards, two sight pins (one set at 25 and perhaps another at 35 yards) can easily cover 90 percent of the shooting scenarios you will face. Therefore, do yourself a favor and save the five-pin sight for Western hunting, for which long-range opportunities are the norm.

Best Arrow

Speed kills. There is no arguing that fact. However, don’t get caught up in the speed craze to the point that you choose arrows that are a little too weak for your setup—simply because they are lighter and faster. While raw arrow speed might bail you out of misjudging the yardage to old tangle-horns, an arrow that is underspine will not provide the kind of arrow flight conducive to accurate, lethal shots—not to mention penetration from such an arrow will likely suffer as well.

As I mentioned, treestand shots on whitetails typically happen at close range, so don’t let speed be the determining factor in your arrow selection. Consistent accuracy and being able to hit what you are aiming at are the most important qualities an arrow can possess. Then comes overall speed.

Squeeze, Squeeze, Squeeze 

Pictured here is the author’s favorite release aid, the Scott Little Bitty Goose Deluxe. It offers infinite adjustability, a crisp trigger and interchangeable trigger posts. This means he doesn’t have to change releases once the season starts, due to specific shot training.

Don’t take this seemingly insignificant piece of equipment for granted; its ability to make you a better bowshot is stronger than you realize. The best release aids offer infinite adjustability and a crisp trigger. Models that allow the release head to be moved closer or farther from the hand (in minute increments) will make it easier to position the trigger in just the right spot along the finger to influence the use of back muscles to trigger the shot.

Also, a crisp trigger means a better release. Triggers that break sloppy can cause unwanted string torque, which will undoubtedly affect arrow flight. And even though treestand shots will be close, an arrow that is swaying side to side due to a rough release won’t impact the target in a straight line, which will impede penetration.

My favorite release aid (Scott Little Bitty Goose Deluxe) offers the advantage of interchangeable trigger posts. This feature is excellent when specific training goals are desired. For example, a spring trigger is an awesome tool for learning how to execute a “surprise” release, because it promotes squeezing the shot until the bow fires. This is very important, because most botched opportunities are largely due to rushing through the shot process.

Quite often when treestand hunting, whitetails offer only fleeting opportunities to loose an arrow as they pass in and out of range. As a result, the urgency in our mind to “shoot now” is a viable threat to our success. Learning to squeeze the release trigger will not only slow things down during this heart-pounding moment, it will also quickly confirm that most often, you have more time than you think to release an arrow.